Changing the clocks to winter time in Ukraine is regulated by Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 509 dated May 13, 1996, according to which the hands are set back one hour on the last Sunday of October. This means that on the night from Saturday to Sunday, Ukrainians should turn their clocks back one hour, thus getting an extra hour of sleep. For modern devices — such as computers, smartphones, tablets, and smartwatches — the change to the new time is automatic, which greatly simplifies the process.
The change in time is motivated primarily by the need to save electricity and make effective use of daylight in the winter, when the duration of daylight hours is shortened. However, discussions regarding the expediency of this practice have been going on for more than a year.
It was assumed that this transition could be the last for Ukrainians. In 2021, the Verkhovna Rada adopted in the first reading the draft law “On Calculating Time in Ukraine”, which cancels the transition to summer and winter time, proposing to introduce permanent winter time. However, the draft law was sent for revision, and its fate remained uncertain.
In August 2023, the draft law on canceling the time change was sent to President Volodymyr Zelenskyi for his signature, however, as reported by the Ukrainian BBC with reference to sources, the president does not plan to sign this document. At the same time, the deadline for the official veto of the document has already passed, which leaves the situation in limbo.
